In Tandem Announces Launch of Innovative Non-Profit for Youth Engagement
New Startup Makes It Easy and Safe for Organizations to Facilitate Authentic Youth Involvement in User-Centered Design
NEW YORK, July 16, 2024 (Newswire.com) - In Tandem is a non-profit that makes it easy for organizations such as edtechs and non-profits to engage young people in improving products and services designed for youth. The In Tandem team trains and supports a cohort of young people while coordinating and facilitating youth engagements, helping organizations easily and safely gather insights from teens.
At the heart of In Tandem is the Youth Voice Fellowship, a year-round, paid program for 14- to 18-year-olds across the United States. A core principle of the program is that participants (“Youth Partners") are experts in their own experience. In Tandem trains Youth Partners in behavioral science and design thinking to help them and youth-serving organizations leverage that expertise to improve products and services. The 2024–2025 school year cohort includes up to 200 students and will grow to 300+ over the next two years.
“In Tandem’s mission is to facilitate transformational change by elevating youth voices. Collaboration between adults and young people leads to better outcomes for both — but it is rare. There’s just too much friction. We eliminate that friction so that organizations can focus on authentically engaging youth to create something special,” said Dave Hersh, CEO of In Tandem.
Youth Partners represent a wide variety of experiences and identities. The program is diverse across race, gender, socioeconomic status, academic performance, home language, neurodiversity, and other characteristics. This diversity allows partners to customize their engagements to test assumptions about the impact of programs or products in different contexts.
With In Tandem, organizational partners can engage youth at any stage of the R&D process. In Tandem helps them tailor their methods — e.g., co-design, interviews, focus groups, surveys — to ensure youth-serving organizations gain the insights they need to achieve their goals. Working in this way, organizations realize that they can increase their impact by integrating youth voices early to ensure they are addressing the right problem with a solution that works for their audience.
Pricing for engaging In Tandem is flexible, accommodating organizations with programs and products at varying stages of development.
Organizations interested in engaging youth should contact In Tandem at awyattmcgill@in-tandem.org or visit in-tandem.org. Students interested in becoming a Youth Partner should follow In Tandem on social channels (Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, LinkedIn, X) for news about the next call for applications.
About In Tandem
In Tandem is dedicated to elevating youth voices and fostering authentic engagement to create impactful, user-centered solutions. By integrating the unique perspectives of young people into the design process, In Tandem helps organizations develop programs and products that resonate deeply with their target audience. In Tandem streamlines the logistics of youth engagement, ensuring a safe and effective experience for all participants. Learn more at in-tandem.org.
Source: In Tandem
